Paola M. (Giacobbe) Kersch is an Associate Professor of Spanish, Director of World Languages and Cultures, and Academic Adviser of Study Abroad at D'Youville University. Paola holds a BA in Spanish and English with a minor in the Classics from Canisius College, an MA in Comparative Literature from UNC at Chapel Hill, and a PhD in Hispanic Literature and Culture from SUNY at Buffalo. For over 20 years, Paola has taught courses in Spanish and Italian language, composition, and culture at numerous colleges and universities. Her scholarly work explores the child figure in plays and films about the Spanish Civil War and the Franco dictatorship and the response of contemporary female playwrights to acts of terror and domestic abuse. During her tenure at D'Youville, Paola has cultivated an interest in World Languages and Cultures among students, faculty, and administration by developing a World Languages and Cultures Minor, a BA and BS in Spanish, and a Spanish Medical Interpretation Certificate. Paola also strives to immerse students in the languages and cultures they study by securing new study abroad and internship opportunities and by curating a wide array of multicultural events on campus. Committed to the community, Paola has also served as an active board member of several not-for-profit organizations. In her free time, Paola enjoys spending time with her family, volunteering at the CCI of Buffalo, cooking, traveling to Italy, and in the summer months, gardening.
